Marple Man Responds to Call of Duty: Helping Wounded Soldiers

BROOMALL–Nick Constantino, a resident of , doesn't have any type of military background other than the fact that he felt the need to serve the soldiers who fought for him and his country.

"It's my passion," said Constantino. "I saw the need for it. If you're going to support the war, which I did, then you're going to have to support the soldiers."

Constantino started freelancing, trying to help wounded soldiers anyway he could. In 2005, he came across Operation First Response–an organization that was in tune with his own mission to help wounded soldiers with financial and emotional services.

"I wanted to show my appreciation to these men and women who have fought for our country," shared Constantino. "Real families are affected by the war and there are repercussions to it."

It wasn't too long before Constantino was heavily involved in the Walk for the Wounded–a walk to raise funds for wounded soldiers and their families and to raise awareness about the "plight of of tens of thousands of returning soldiers who are wounded, and whose families are facing significant financial and emotional challenges as their loved one recovers," according to their website.

Constantino, a senior adviser for Walk for the Wounded, leads the approximately 40-member committee–involving veterans, military families and supporters–in Delaware County. This year, the walk will be held on May 19, marking its fifth walk.

Slowly, wounded soldiers and family members began reaching out to Constantino for help and guidance.

One of the first and memorable incidents for Constantino was when he helped a wounded soldier get back on his feet, literally, after the soldier had gotten injured fighting and was left in a wheelchair. On top of that, the soldier's wife had lost her job during his time at the hospital, their car was repossessed and their 10-year-old son was living with a relative in Delaware.

"We got to be really close," shared Constantino. "It was about me repaying him."

When Constantino invited the soldier and his family over one Christmas, the soldier got up from his wheelchair and and walked to him. That moment, Constantino remembers, was a special moment but what came next was an even more unexpected surprise. The soldier reached out and handed him his purple heart for him to keep.

"He told me that purple heart was the only thing left that meant a lot to him and he wanted me to have it–it was the wound that binds us together," recalled Constantino. Six years later, the purple heart hangs on his wall and inspires him on his act of duty to help wounded soldiers.

More recently, Constantino and his Walk for the Wounded team helped coordinate a beef and beer fundraiser to help a wounded soldier, Jim Kalitz, and his family from New Jersey buy a car. The family car had been totaled and the family was looking for help. Constantino and his team heard their cry. The team helped raise more than $10,000 for the family.

On Friday, Jan. 27, .

With several community members across the county involved in the fundraiser for the New Jersey couple, Constantino could only say, "You can see the goodness of all these people. The bottom line is people just want to show their appreciation in some way."

Modest about his dedication to serve wounded soldiers and their families, Constantino said, "I'm just an American doing my duty. Their duty is overseas. This is our duty."

For more information on Walk for the Wounded and how to get involved, visit their website here or call Nick Constantino at 610-496-4299.